In the history of countries and societies of the Baltic region the turn of the Middle Ages and modern times was the period of the downfall and decline of many phenomena in the area of economy, religion and culture. Products of modern times replaced institutions and forms of life which had functioned until that time. The appearance of the manor system, trading companies and the development of banks and stock exchanges were the signs of transformations in the economy. Deepened individual religiousness of the late Middle Ages and institutional crisis of the Church resulted in religious conversion and, consequently, establishing a new religious mentality, as well as an innovative approach to a relationship between art and sacrum. Monasteries that had existed for centuries as religious centres disappeared from the urban and rural landscape and turned into lay intellectual centres such as schools, welfare centres or economic units which exercised the function of administration centres of the domain of the territorial lord. A wide use of artillery undermined the function of castles as a mode of defence system and triggered their transformation into residences. Also, widely understood material culture was subject to major changes. The subject of matter of papers in the field of archaeology, history and the history of art would include problems of the watershed period. It is understood not only as a change and transfer from „the old“ to „the new“, but also the existence of the „old world“ in the context of new phenomena, the sites of which became the castle, the monastery and the town.

The conference will be held from 9th June to 11th June 2022 in International Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Szczecin University in Kulice located in a former manor house which belonged to the House of Bismarck. The Organisers ensure simultaneous interpretation from Polish into English. No registration fee will apply to speakers. Refund of travelling costs (economy class) or a small fee can be offered. The organisers will provide a free of charge return transport from Szczecin to the conference venue in Kulice. The organisers are planning the publication of papers read at the conference.

Please send your proposal for presentation by February 20, 2022 including abstracts not longer than one page (up to 600 characters) as well as your academic affiliation (up to 600 characters) including contact details to dr. hab. Marcin Majewski, PhD, Assoc. Prof. Szczecin University at marcin.majewski@usz.edu.pl or Rafał Simiński PhD, at rafal.siminski@usz.edu.pl. The organisers reserve the acceptance of papers at their own discretion. After deadline for submissions you will be notified of either acceptance or decline of the suggested subject of paper.

Organising committee: Marcin Majewski, PhD, Assoc. Prof. US (Uniwersytet Szczeciński) and Rafał Simiński PhD (Uniwersytet Szczeciński).